Court Dismisses Contractors’ Suit Against NNPCL
The Federal High Court in Abuja has thrown out a case filed by the Incorporated Trustees of AGIP Indigenous Contractors Association and 43 others, challenging the award of a pipeline surveillance contract by the Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited (NNPCL).
Judgment by Justice Mohammed Umar
Delivering the ruling, Justice Mohammed Umar held that the plaintiffs lacked locus standi and failed to establish any legal interest in the matter. He further observed that the suit disclosed no reasonable cause of action, describing the applicants as “meddlesome interlopers and busybodies.” Consequently, the case was struck out in its entirety.
Plaintiffs’ Claims
The contractors alleged that NNPCL and its former Group Chief Executive Officer, Mele Kyari, unlawfully awarded the contract to Tantita Security Services Limited, a company owned by High Chief Government Ekpemupolo (popularly known as Tompolo). They argued that indigenous operators were unfairly excluded from the bidding process, in violation of the Nigeria Oil and Gas Content Development Act of 2010.
NNPCL’s Defense
In response, NNPCL dismissed the allegations as baseless. The company maintained that Tantita and other contracted firms had demonstrated strong results in curbing crude oil theft. It pointed to achievements such as higher crude production, successful interception of illegal vessels, and the dismantling of unlawful pipeline connections as proof of performance.
Security Operations and Achievements
Tantita Security Services, alongside other firms engaged by NNPCL, has been tasked with safeguarding vital oil infrastructure. Their operations in 2024 recorded major breakthroughs, including the interception of a tugboat transporting illegally refined diesel off the coast of Rivers State in April. That same week, 155 cases of crude oil theft were documented across the Niger Delta, with Rivers, Delta, and Bayelsa states recording 38 arrests for suspected sabotage.
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